For at least the last 10 years I have been battling with what I believed was seasonal allergies. My eyes would be itchy, watery, and my right eye would be painful and swollen with massive pain behind it along with accompanying headache. It was at times debilitating and so painful during actual sinus infections that suicide actually crossed my mind because I could not live with this reoccurring pain over and over again.
I tried everything natural and medical that was claimed to help sinus issues (allergies, sinus infections, sinusitis) to no avail.
- Local honey
- Neti pot rinses with saline and even eucalyptus and honey
- Natural blends of herbs
- Boosting my immune system
- Anti-inflammatory agents – Turmeric, Boswellia, Black pepper, naproxen, ibuprofen
- Elderberry
- Vitamin C
- Allergy medications: Zyrtec, Claritin, Xyzal, Allegra, Singular
- Allergy eye drops
- Allergy nose sprays
- Saline sprays
- Steroids
- Allergy shots
- Allergy testing (to which it came up positive only for Chinese Elm and barely at that)
- Detoxification protocols for every organ that you can detox as well as cellular detoxification
- Benadryl and other antihistamines
- Antibiotics
- Essential oils
- Pseudoephedrine (was the only thing that offered some temporary relief)
In the course of this I did discover that I had a severely deviated septum which was likely a partial cause of the recurrent sinus infections. I did the septoplasty surgery to correct it. I was sure that was my answer.
4 months later? – I had, yet again, a horrible sinus infection. Though, given, now I could breathe far better it did lessen the pain. I was sad and very upset to still be dealing with this nonsense and pain. Through this infection though I finally found my answer.
As it turns out it was likely never allergies.
How so many doctors missed this I am not sure, though I am told it is very uncommon.
In my new physician’s best guess – deduced because of the one-sided pain and swelling (allergies would be both sides of my face not just one) as well as the fact that 1 month post-surgery a ball of green gunk that resembled a big wad of bubble gum had come out of that sinus that it was a sinus infection in that right cavity that had been backed up and never fully healed creating a literal snowball of infected debris over the years.
In doing the septoplasty it finally opened that passage and freed the ball of crap to come out, yet some of it still must have remained. A 10-year infection. 10 years of pain. Healed now in 3 successive course of antibiotics and steroids as to cover the full spectrum of possible bacteria.
Round 1: Doxycycline & Methyl Prednisone
Round 2: Levofloxacin + A Steroid Shot and an Antibiotic Shot (unsure of what).
Round 3: Amoxicillin-Clav
I am forever thankful that someone FINALLY figured this out. This infection was ruining my life and my health.
If you are dealing with an issue like this, first of all, I am so sorry.
Second, maybe my experience can help someone to not go so long with this undiagnosed and untreated.
